Brace for fence-posts



W. VAN WERT. BEACH FOR FENCE POSTS.

(No Model.)

PatentedJulylG, 1895.

WITNESSES i i I 5 f NITE STATES ATENT WILLIAM VAN WVERT, OF IRENE, ILLINOIS.

BRACE FOR. FENCE-POSTS.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,908, dated July 16, 1895. Application filed April 5, 1895- Serial lib/544,670- (No model.) I

To all whom it may corwern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM VAN WERT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Irene, in the county of Boone and State.

oflllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Braces for Fence-Posts;

and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the-same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is toprovide a fence-post with means for bracing the same against movement from strain in the direction of the line of fencing, and in carrying out the invention I make use ofapair of un derground posts which are connected to the lower portion of the fence-post by loops and bars, the loops and one of the bars engaging the fence-post directly beneath the surface of the ground and the other brace-bar extending from a point near the lower end of the fence-postto the upper end of one of the bracing-posts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

' In the, accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure l is a side view showing the application of my invention to a fence-post. Fig. 2 is a detail view of one of the bracing-loops, and Fig 3 a detail view of one of the brace-bars.

A designates the fence-post, which is preferably made up of two metallic sections having corresponding flanges or webs a a, which provide for connecting the sections together surface of the ground at a suitable distance,

from the fence-post A and on a line therewith and in the direction of the fence panels or wires, so as to be protected by the same.

0 C designate brace-bars, one being connected to the fence-post at one end by means of apin or rivet which passes through the aperture 19 therein, the other end of said bracebar being connected to the anchor-post at the intermediate portion thereof, The other brace-bar is connected to the lower end of the fence-post by a pin or rivet passing through the aperture 0 therein and extends to the upper end of the other anchor-post, to which it is attached. By this arrangement the bracebars 0 are in an inclined position and parallel with each other..

D D designate loops, which are connected to the upper ends of the anchor-posts and to the fence-post, so as to lie in a horizontal position, the loop on one side of the post being connected thereto by the rivet or bolt, which passes through the aperture b and holds one of the brace-bars in place, while the other loop is connected to the fence-post by an independent bolt passing through an aperture in the projecting flanges thereof.

The device hereinbefore described forms a cheap and efficient brace and securely holds the post against strain in the direction of the line-of fencing, and where it is desired to use the post as a corner-post or for other purposes two or more anchor-posts may be planted at right angles to those shown and described and effectively used as a brace at gateways, where the strain of the wires upon the posts comes in one direction, or, in other words, the strain upon the upper part of the post being in one direction will draw on the inclined brace, which is connected to the post near the lower end thereof, and in using my improved brace the brace-rods should be disposed so that there will be a drawing-strain upon the rod connected to the lower end of the post, said bracerod being located on the same side of the post that the strain is brought in straightening or tightening the fence-wires.

I am aware that prior to my invention it has been proposed to provide a fence-post with a brace consisting of an angular post positioned some distance from the fence-post and connected to the base portion of the fencepost by a horizontal bar located beneath the surface of the ground and an additional bracebar which extends from the top of the anchorpost at an upward inclination to an intermediate portion of the fence-post, the inclined brace being almost entirely above the surface of the ground, such construction being adapted to be used in connection with a fence-post which is positioned adjacent to a gateway. It will be readily noted that my invention is distinguished therefrom in that the braces for the fence-post are entirely underground and a plurality of anchor-posts are used, one of the brace-bars being secured very near the lower end of the fence-post.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with a post, an underground brace therefor consisting of a pair of anchor-posts planted on opposite sides of the fence-post on a line with the fencing, bracebars 0 G connecting the fence-post to the anchor-posts, one of the brace-bars being attached to the lower end of the fence-post and to the upper end of the anchor-post and the other brace-bar being connected to the fencepost directly beneath the surface of the ground and to the intermediate portion of the anchor-post, together with loops which are connected to the upper ends of the anchor posts and to the fence-posts so as to lie on a horizontal plane, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with a fence-post constructed substantially as shown and provided with flanges or webs a a on a line with the fencing,of anchor'posts B B planted beneath the surface of the ground on a line with said flanges or webs, brace-bars O 0 connected to the anchorposts and to the flanges of the fence-post, one of the bars inclining upwardly from the lower end of the fence-post and the other bar inclining downwardly from a point above the lower end thereof; together with loops D D connected to the fence-post and to the upper ends of the anchor-posts, the pair of anchor-posts, brace-bars and loops being all positioned underground substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

8. In combination with a fence-post having side flanges, of anchor-posts positioned underground on a line with said flanges, brace-bars C C having bent ends for attachment to the anchor-posts, and loops D D adapted to engage with the upper ends of the anchor-posts, the terminals of said loops having eyes for attachment to the flanges of the fence-post, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM VAN WERT. Witnesses:

ERNEST L. KING, WILLIAM MAIN. 

